Guardian
by anotherlife
Summary: Luna's supposedly brilliant plan ends with her and Harry flung into a new dimension and a world so similar, yet so different from there own. AU
1. Where Luna has a plan

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately :(

AN - So this is a AU story canon up to the end of HBP, but from there on it goes off in a very different direction to JK's novel. When the story begins Voldemort is dead, however despite heavy loses on both sides, his followers have not been defeated or disbanded so are still a very real threat.

* * *

**Guardian**

* * *

He walked with precision, a complete awareness of his surroundings and a posture that screamed his readiness to attack at any provocation. His companion however seemed to skip, as though she was walking through a field of flowers with the sun shining down on her, rather than on a battle field barely dodging the mutilated bodies of the not long deceased. But both were dressed like warriors in dragon hide with wands firmly in their hands, holsters on their arms, weapons strapped across their backs and eyes which said they had seen too much at too young an age.

The man they were following looked over his shoulder at them and called out.

"It's not far."

A silence met his words.

Once the guide had began to move again the young man pulled his comrade close and whispered to her in the quietest voice possible, conscious of the man ahead who could very well be listening.

"I need you to stay alert. There is a large chance that this is going to end up being a trap and if that's the case then you need to get out of there as fast as you can. Do not hesitate. Do not look back. Do not wait for me. Have you got it?"

"Don't be silly." She replied in a voice just as quiet, but one that was missing the tense gravity of her friend. "I would never leave you." She pushed her hair behind her ears, making the scar that went horizontally across the left half of her face and into her mutilated eye, easily visible. "Besides they'd never forgive me if I left you." She gestured to what appeared to be empty space either side of the man.

"They would if it meant you were still alive," he replied, not even looking to see who she may be gesturing toward.

She shook her head giving him a sympathetic look, as though he was speaking of things he couldn't possible understand, than took his hand and moved them onwards.

It nearly an hour later before there guide stopped walking again and turned to them, the battlefield well behind them. "The wards end in ten metres or so. Once we're passed them I can side along apparate you both to just outside the current head quarters, but that's as far as I'll go." He looked nervous as though the mere thought of going near that place made him want to vomit up his insides.

"You're a hundred percent sure you can't just tell me the location?" the young man asked.

"It's a tongue-tie curse, I can't tell you outright. My apparating us there is a loophole as I'm not outright saying it. Now are we ready to continue?"

They both nodded, eager to just end this. They had no choice but to trust the man in front of them and hope for the best. Not that that had done them any favours in the past. But resources and allies were limited and the bounty on both their heads was steadily growing larger with each passing day. They had both been living on pure instinct and luck for far too long. Even if this was a trap, at least they would most likely find themselves in the snake's layer, and weren't they aiming to find out its location anyway? Yes now was time for trusting and prayings for the best.

The guide grabbed hold of both of them and they felt the familiar squeeze of being apparated. They had barely re-materialised when the young man yanked his arm from the guide and cast a shield charm that encompassed all three of them. It took but a few seconds and was done just in time to deflect at least ten spells which hit the magical barrier. Turning to his companion he saw she already had their guide at wandpoint.

"Didn't I tell you it was going to be a trap?" He asked his companion as he looked about their surroundings trying to judge just how many people were surrounding them. There was at least forty.

"I never said it wasn't," she replied. "I just said that we should go." Her wand had not moved from being jabbed in the next of the man who had led them here, but her eyes were darting almost gleefully about the chamber they were in. It's been a long time since we were last in the ministry." She took a deep breath filling her lungs, and stated in a matter of fact voice, "still infested with nargles though."

"Ministry huh?"

"Oh yes. More specifically though we're in-"

"The department of mysteries," a voice interrupted. "Don't you remember it? I thought for sure you would recognise this room and the _lovely_ decoration behind you." The voice laughed and several others in the room joined in drawing in closer towards then.

"Have you forgotten your manners?" came the snarling reply of the young man. "Surely you know that it's rude to interrupt and eavesdrop on private conversations." But at the new voices remarks he had glanced around and noticed the large arch which was directly behind him and his friend. It was the veil that had haunted his dreams for years. Only years of training to hide his emotions had stopped him from reacting visibly to seeing it after all this time. "Now what is it you are wanting Malfoy?" Hatred burned in his eyes as he looked at the crazed man who had stepped towards them. The blonde aristocrat was cloaked in a madness of the darkest sort. This war had left his mind distorted unstable, a fact evident in his mannerism and appearance.

"To watch you die." Malfoy answered him a wild look in his eyes.

But he just laughed. "You are willing to try? Even after what happened to the Lestrange?"

"I am not as foolish as my sister in law was." Lucius Malfoy took another step forward, the others in the room followed his lead closing in on them. "You can't hold that shield forever. And when it fails both you and the girl will die."

He hated to admit that Malfoy was right, but he wouldn't be able to hold the shield much longer. The battle which he had fought in the last few days had drained him considerably. But he wasn't going to give in that easily. "Have you not heard the prophesies? With your _oh so wonderful_ leader dead you can't kill me. None of you can."

"Oh I have heard them. But I don't plan on killing you myself, despite how much I would love to. No I plan on watching you do it yourself."

"Myself?" he questioned raising an eyebrow.

"That's rather clever actually," came his friends voice and he spared a glance in her direction. It seemed while he had been speaking to Malfoy she had grown tired of holding their guide at wandpoint and he now lay unmoving on the floor. Dead or unconscious he couldn't tell and it didn't really matter right now. "In fact it's brilliant." Her face had lit up and she was smiling brightly.

"Even she can see the genius in the plan." Malfoy sneered. "Are you prepared to die now? Because I promise you if you will watch her be torture to insanity until you obey."

"Oh your plan is awful," she replied waving a hand absently in his direction. "I meant their plan." She gesture the empty space either side of her partner.

"Clearly I will not have to do much to crack her, if anything at all." Malfoy replied drily, looking her up and down with no little disgust.

But she just ignored him and looked to her friend. "Can we go now? They're rather dull and I'm in no mood to kill anyone else today."

He just chuckled. "What do you have in mind?" he answered using his free hand to clutch at hers. They were completely outnumbered and it would almost take a miracle to get them out of there alive.

"Oh just this..." she whispered and through one hand up in the air a spherical object was let loose and flew a lightning speed through the shield that was just about still holding. It arched forward and hit the ground near Malfoy exploding before he or and most of the other death eaters in the room had a chance to fully reacts. As the chaos spread, spells were cast manically in all directions and smoke filled the room she pulled her companion backwards, holding his hand and forcing him to follow her, dodging spells and leading him through the large stone arch before he had a chance to fully process where she was guiding him, too busy trying to shield them. At the last second he heard her say, "portus," and saw something glow briefly.

It was then the world started spinning and his body began to sear in pain feeling as though he was being pulled apart, stretched in every direction and at the same time compressed. He had never felt anything like it.

As the world seemed to settle he noticed that they had landed in the hallway of 12 Grimmauld Place and the two of them were still holding hands. Drawing comfort from the fact they were home he allowed himself to give in to the unconsciousness that was trying to claim him. He felt the body to his left collapse with him.

Had either of them stayed conscious for just a few seconds longer they would have noticed the house was not as empty as it was suppose to be.

But both Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood were oblivious to the pandemonium the sudden arrive of their war ravaged bodies caused.

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Another AN - Just so you know Harry is twenty in this and Luna nineteen. The war has cost them pretty much everything and for a while now they have only had each other. I do not plan on having it be slash at the moment, but because of everything they have been through they will be very close and protect of each other.

Please tell my what you think, what you like, what you don't like, anything that isn't clear... I think constructive criticism is important so I can improve.

Thank you for reading,

anotherlife.


	2. Where only Luna knows what's going on

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately :(

AN - So this is a AU story canon up to the end of HBP, but from there on it goes off in a very different direction to JK's novel. When the story begins Voldemort is dead, however despite heavy loses on both sides, his followers have not been defeated or disbanded so are still a very real threat.

* * *

**Guardian**

* * *

The elderly man let out a tired sigh. "Thank you Dolly that will be all." He addressed to the house elf standing before him. "Feel free to go back to your usual duties now." With a small curtsey Dolly apparated out of the headmasters study, most likely back to the kitchens.

Albus Dumbledore stood up from behind his desk and left his rooms. He began making his way across the school to the hospital wing where, according to Dolly one of his guests was beginning to stir. "About time too," he muttered to himself. "It's been over a week." In fact it had been nine days since the Order meeting at 12 Grimmauld Place had been interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the two unconscious people, who now occupied the infirmary. How these two individuals, both looking only a year or two out of school, had managed to penetrate through some of the strongest warding in the country he had no idea. None of the wards were damaged, he had checked them himself several times. It was as though they had simply been given permission to enter.

After having taken control of the situation and he had had the two newcomers stripped of their wands and weapons then transported to the Hogwarts hospital wing where he placed them under heavy wards. Something about the two put him on edge, there very auras, even when out cold radiated power. But there was also something about them that made him believe that they were no real danger to him, they were not enemies. In fact he had had them checked and although there was a noticeable presence of lingering dark magic about them, they bore no dark marks.

Dumbledore's actions however meant he was being bombarded everyday with questions about the newcomers. Everyone who knew about them, those in the Order, were desperate for answers, many suggesting he just woke them. Yet he wouldn't. It wasn't there physical injuries, although they both had plenty, which had stopped him. It was the fact that whatever they had done to get to Grimmauld Place had left there magical cores almost fully drained. Waking them prematurely would kill them. And really what good would that do? Even if they were enemies no knowledge or advantage would be gained from them simply dying before they could be interrogated.

As he entered the hospital wing he saw a set of green eyes fix on him, widening slightly as though in recognition of who had just entered and then change to anger.

"Jokes are meant to be funny." The young man spat.

Dumbledore just walked further into the room, stopping a few feet from the end of the bed the man was currently warded to.

"I'm afraid my dear boy I don't know what you are referring to."

"Of course you don't!" he muttered, looking past the headmaster, as if to see if anyone else would be joining them. "I won't tell you anything. You're an idiot if you thing I'll fall for this elaborate set up you have going on. Do you guys really have nothing better to do?"

"Again I am at a loss as to what you are speaking about. Perhaps if we start from the beginning with our names?" Dumbledore paused as though waiting for an answer, but when he didn't receive one he continued, "I am Albus-"

"-Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," a voice to his left finished for him. Turning he saw that the young girl had woken as well and was now sitting up in her hospital bed, taking in her surrounds a grin stretching across her face. "We're in the Hogwarts hospital wing." She stated, looking more pleased by the second.

"Quite" Dumbledore replied, looking taken aback. "Have we met before?"

"Us? No." she answered still smiling, "It's just obvious. You look very much like my Professor Dumbledore, although that's hardly surprising is it?"

"I'm afraid I do not seem to be following you my dear. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore."

"Yes I know." She tilted her head to the side and gave him a curious look as though she didn't seem to understand what the problem was, what he was failing to grasp.

"But then-"

"I think the real question we should be asking is why we are here and when the hell can we leave?" he young man interjected, annoyance flooding his face. "And most importantly where are our wands?" He had clearly been unsuccessful in his attempts to break the wards holding him to the bed and was now focusing his attention on making sure his partner did not reveal too much.

"We're here because it worked!" she declared happily, throwing her hands in the air and allowing herself to fall backwards. "And our wands are in his office."

"Yes they are, but worked? What worked my dear?" Dumbledore asked while her companion stared at her in confusion for a moment before shaking his head in a resigned manner and continuing to take in as much details about their surroundings, no doubt trying to work out a new escape plan.

"You were meant to save us, not kill us." He muttered under his bed, barely audible.

"Don't be silly I'd never try and kill you," she laughed, "and even if I wanted to you know I couldn't. How long have we been out for?" she asked the bemused headmaster.

"Nine days" he supplied. "You were both in a rather battered shape when you arrived. Now I'm afraid I still haven't caught your names."

"We didn't give them." The boy snapped. "You actually expect us to just give you that information? How do we know you aren't a death eater? What proof do we have that you are who you appear to be?"

"He is." The girl responded after a moment, breaking the silence. "She told me," she continued nodding her head to the empty space on the right of Dumbledore.

"Are you sure?"

She smiled. "You can't lie about that."

"Well then," Dumbledore said, looking to his side to see if he could see who she had been gesturing at moments before, "now that you seemed to have established that I am not imposters, how about you tell me your names and how you came to find yourselves breaching the wards of Grimmauld Place."

"I'd rather not." The young man answered.

"I'm afraid if you are unwilling to co-operate I will be forced to use another means to get the answers from you. It is imperative I know how you broke through the wards, so that I can stop it from happening again." Dumbledore stared directly into his eyes.

"Legilimency won't work on either of us Professor, it hasn't for many years." He snarled. "She may believe it's you, but if you want answers I want further proof."

"What will you consider as undeniable proof of my identity?"

"What is your favourite flavour jam?" the girl asked at the same time as the boy said, "Show me your patronus."

Chuckling at the absurdity of the difference between the two people in front of him he answered the question first, while pulling out his wand to demonstrate the second. "It would be raspberry my dear." He replied, to which she nodded seeming satisfied with the answer. "_Expecto Partonum"_ he said flicking his wand and watching as the silver silhouette of a phoenix burst forth, more precisely his phoenix, Fawkes.

The two strangers watched the patronus as it circled them, before landing on the girls shoulder for a second, pressing its beak the scaring which marred the left hand side of her face and eye then disappeared. The young man looked at Dumbledore and nodded his head.

"How would you like to do this then?" he asked, "I would prefer a truth bond. Although I can refuse to answer any of your questions."

"A truth bond will work nicely I feel." Dumbledore agreed glad to finally have made some progress, if only a little. He came nearer to the two and cast the enchantment upon the three of them. A web of purple fed out of his wand working its way outwards until it encased the three of them, shone brightly and disappeared. "It should last for about an hour." He informed them, "and I took the liberty of adding a privacy layer, so anything revealed must be kept secret, unless permission is granted. Shall we begin then with your names?" He really was fed up of referring to them in his head as boy and girl.

"I'm Luna," the girl announced with a smile.

"Harry." The stiff response came.

"Would you happen to have surnames which go along with those fine names?" he asked.

"Yes" Harry answered, but offered no more information.

"And they would be?" he pushed.

"Irrelevant," came the one word reply. It appeared that even with the truth bond this Harry was unwilling to give too much away, still weary of the situation. Although who could blame him? His attire and condition when the two of them have arrived at Grimmauld Place told Dumbledore that they had not lived easy lives.

"Could I have a cup of tea please Professor, milk with two sugars?" Luna asked, seemingly unaware, or unfazed, by the tension which filled the room. "I haven't had tea in ages."

Dumbledore looked at her slightly shocked, but he quickly regained his composure and with a flick of his wand a cup of steaming tea appeared in front of him. As he moved forward to hand it to her she slipped off the bed and took it herself, smiled and settled herself back down.

"Thank you Professor." She said as she took her first sip.

"How were you able to break free of the wards on the bed?" Dumbledore asked her, intrigued by the young witch.

"Magic," she replied simply. Harry snorted from beside her.

"Maybe I should ask _when_ did you break the wards?"

"A few minutes after I first awoke."

"And why did you not try and escape?"

"Why would I?" she seemed perplexed by the idea, as though the thought of escaping had never crossed her mind.

He gave her a soft smile and found himself wondering how someone so sweet natured and innocent as her had found themselves surrounded by such dark magic. "How did you break through the wards?" he asked remembering himself.

"They recognise us." Harry answered.

"I am afraid I don't understand. How did they recognise you?"

"Harry owns our 12 Grimmauld Place." Luna replied.

"_Your_ Grimmauld Place?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Yes. But we came to this one to help."

"To help with what my dear?"

"Destroying Voldemort." She said it as though she was simply stating the weather. Both Dumbledore and Harry turned to stare at her. It was Harry who was first to break the silence.

"Voldemort is dead Luna. He died over a year ago." Harry gave her a concerned look, as though he was worried she had sustained an injury that he hadn't realised about until now.

"Not here he isn't. Not in this world." She looked Harry directly in the eye, "Can't you feel it? It's pushing against the edge of Hogwarts wards. It's stronger than in our world, more malicious, more bloodthirsty, more dominant and _precise_. It isn't looking to lash out, it has no need because it has its hold and it has someone who can control it here, someone with power. Voldemort is definitely alive in this world. Alive and powerful."

"You keep saying _this world_, am I to presume that the two of you came from some other world?" Dumbledore asked, curiosity written across his face.

"Of course Professor, we came through the veil." Luna announced like this explained it.

And for Dumbledore it did.

"And you came to Grimmauld Place by apparating?"

"Portkey set to go off just as we crossed over. Didn't fancy having to explain myself to whoever was on the other side so I went somewhere that would be safe." She explained, both men listening keenly to her.

"How did you know it would be safe? The Black family do not have the cleanest history my dear." Dumbledore asked.

"The same reason that travelers coming through the veil doesn't seem completely incomprehensible to you Professor. We are not the first."

Harry gaped at her and she could see the cogs turning, the meaning setting in.

"No indeed you are not." Dumbledore confirmed.

* * *

Another AN - I'm really sorry about the wait, so thank you all for sticking with me. Just after I published the first chapter I got ill and then have spent ages playing catch up on everything to do with real life. But hopefully I can give this story the attention I want to give it.

Anyway please give me any feedback, criticism is always appreciate.

Thank you for reading,

anotherlife


	3. Where Luna still knows more

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately :(

AN - So this is a AU story canon up to the end of HBP, but from there on it goes off in a very different direction to JK's novel. When the story begins Voldemort is dead, however despite heavy loses on both sides, his followers have not been defeated or disbanded so are still a very real threat.

* * *

**Guardian**

* * *

Three days.

Three damn days they had been stuck in the hospital wing with only sporadic visits from Dumbledore to break the monotony. Apparently, even after nine days out cold, the two of them still needed more rest to recover. Harry thought he was going to go mad with boredom. He couldn't remember being this inactive since, well ever. His time had always been filled with chores, ridiculous adventure and more recently the need to stay alive. Sitting down and taking a break for any real length of time just didn't happen. Since the day he turned seventeen he had constantly been fighting, constantly been on the move, never stopping for more than just a few hours to get what little sleep his brain would allow him. Worst thing was that although the wards around there beds that been stretched to now include most of the infirmary, they still hadn't been given there wands or any of their stuff back so he felt entirely defenceless.

Luna being Luna didn't seem to understand the problem. She flitted in and out of the wards as she pleased but never made an attempt to leave the hospital wing. When he had asked she had just smiled in her usual way and enquired what the point would be. "Betraying Dumbledore's trust will just make things harder for us." She had said when he pushed her for an explanation. And although he could see the logic it infuriated him.

He had used the semi privacy they had been given, because you never knew with Dumbledore whether he was listening in or not, to get as much out of Luna as possible. From what he could gather stepping through the veil had sent them to another universe or dimension or whatever, and here Voldemort was very much alive and kicking. His worry about having counter parts had been shot down by Luna, who declared he was being stupid. "There can't be two sets of us Harry that would never work. We're clearly dead in this world." He continuously asked how she was so sure they were where she thought they were. But she constantly told him that "It feels different here. The magic balance is different, the air is different and most importantly the nargles are definitely different." She would pause then before making sure to look Harry dead on in the eyes and add in a serious voice, "And they've all gone. All of them. Neither of us have any anymore." And for Harry that seemed to settle it, they were in an alternate dimension, some parallel universe where he had the fun job of topping Voldemort yet again. Oh joy!

Right now however his priority was getting his damn wand back and getting the hell out of the infirmary. He truly hated hospitals and just wanted to get stuck into some good old fashioned death eater slaying. However he also knew that the information Dumbledore was drip feeding them about this world during his visits was invaluable. The headmaster may not have realised it but the simplest of things he said gave Harry a mountain of information about this new world. So far he had learnt that Voldemort had taken only a ten year vacation here instead of the fourteen year one he took in Harry's home world. He also had a greater grip here, was much stronger. Most importantly it seemed that the prophesy was common knowledge to all, and was thought to be a joke as both children who could have fulfilled it were murdered as infants. Luna had been correct in at least Harry's counterpart was dead here.

It was late afternoon when Dumbledore came and joined them.

"I believe it is time that you come and meet some of the others. If you are indeed able to help us with Voldemort, as you claim, then it is necessary that you become familiar with those in the Order. This world is different to yours in many ways, no doubt allies and enemies may differ. It is wise that you are informed to the best of your ability." He told the two of them.

"And by introducing us they might stop nagging you so much and questioning you." Luna added.

"Quite," Dumbledore chuckled, smiling fondly at her. "We shall take the floo from here directly to Grimmauld Place. As you both familiar with the place it should make you more at ease." He walked over to the fireplace and waited for them to follow. "I shall go first and ready everyone for your arrival. If you could leave a minute and then come through I would very much appreciate it." Taking a handful of powder he threw it in the fire and stepped in declaring his intended location.

As he disappeared Harry turned to Luna. "Tell me honestly Luna, what are the chances of me knowing anyone on the other side of that floo?"

"Oh you will most likely know who almost all of the Order are, but actually know them? Know who they are? We are in a different universe Harry. They are not the same inside, no matter how similar the outside looks."

"What about what you said to Dumbledore the first day, about us not being the first to come through?"

"Would you be the same person if you found yourself in a new dimension, in a strange new world where you were all alone?"

"That is what has happened to me."

"No it's not, you're not alone. You have me." Luna replied calmly, "You'll always have me," and before Harry could question her further she had stepped forward with some floo powder and was away.

* * *

AN: Sorry it's so short. I've been really struggling with where to end this chapter and this just felt like the right place.


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